Removing What Harms Us and Living the Purpose God Intended

In every workshop there comes a moment when the piece of furniture in front of us is more than wood and finish. It becomes a teacher. In this video I am working with a restoration that at first glance was simply dusty and worn. As I gently cleaned years of neglect from the surface I found myself thinking about how the same kinds of layers can build up in our own lives. 

At its core, restoration is a practice of patience and purpose. We do not rush in with harsh abrasives to strip everything away. We study the grain. We understand where the finish has held and where it has failed. We work to preserve what is good and remove only what does harm. In doing this we reveal the beauty that has always been there. Likewise, God does not intend to tear us up at the first sign of struggle. He gently removes what harms us over time so that we might live the purpose He has given us. 

I remember a phrase from Scripture that says we are being transformed “from one degree of glory to another.” We become more ourselves, not less. This preservation project mirrors the spiritual work in our hearts. Dust and grime, like old regrets or habits that do not serve us, can hide the patina of who we are meant to be. By addressing them carefully, by embracing the slow work of refinement, we find clarity of purpose and renewed strength.

I hope as you watch the video you will see more than a furniture project. I hope you will see a quiet lesson about life. Restoration is not always loud or dramatic. Often it is gentle and unseen, much like the way God tends to His people. When we trust the process and remain open to His work in us, what we thought was worn beyond hope becomes a testament to resilience and grace.